Video distribution apparatus, viewer apparatus, video distribution system including these apparatuses, control method for the video distribution apparatus, control method for the viewer apparatus, and computer program for the apparatuses

A method of controlling a video distribution apparatus that is connected via a network to a viewer apparatus that displays a video image, comprising:

• extracting image data of an area from the video image captured by a video capture device;
• setting a restricted area in the video image captured by the video capture device;
• determining whether or not an intermediate area between a first area and a second area in the video image overlaps with the restricted area in the video image captured by the video capture device;
• and
• distributing image data of at least one intermediate area between the first area and the second area in the video image and extracted from the video data to the viewer apparatus via the network after distributing image data of the first area and before distributing image data of the second area in the video image and extracted from the video data captured by the video capture device in a case where the area extracted from the video image captured by the video capture device is changed from the first area to the second area and the at least one intermediate area between the first area and the second area in the video image does not overlap with the restricted area, and distributing the image data of the second area in the video image extracted from the video data without distributing image data of any intermediate area between the first area and the second area in the video image to the viewer apparatus via the network in a case where the area extracted from the video image captured by the video capture device is changed from the first area to the second area and the at least one intermediate area between the first area and the second area in the video image overlaps with the restricted area.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing a computer program executed by a video distribution apparatus that is connected via a network to a viewer apparatus that displays a video image, comprising

• an extraction module for extracting image data of an area from the video image captured by a video capture device;
• a setting module for setting a restricted area in the video image captured by the video capture device;
• a determination module for determining whether or not an intermediate area between a first area and a second area in the video image overlaps with the restricted area in the video image captured by the video capture device;
• and
• a distribution module for distributing image data of at least one intermediate area between the first area and the second area in the video image and extracted from the video data to the viewer apparatus via the network after distributing image data of the first area and before distributing image data of the second area in the video image and extracted from the video data captured by the video capture device in a case where the area extracted from the video image captured by the video capture device is changed from the first area to the second area and said determination module determines that the at least one intermediate area between the first area and the second area in the video image does not overlap with the restricted area, and distributing the image data of the second area in the video image extracted from the video data without distributing image data of any intermediate area between the first area and the second area in the video image to the viewer apparatus via the network in a case where the area extracted from the video image captured by the video capture device is changed from the first area to the second area and said determination module determines that the at least one intermediate area between the first area and the second area in the video image overlaps with the restricted area.